Arteta Releases Handbrake, Arsenal Unshaken

LONDON, SUNDAY - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta continues to silence his critics. Often labeled as overly cautious lately, the manager instead showcased an aggressive approach with a highly offensive style of play in defeating West Ham United. This is reflected in the selection of the starting players.

The home starter list of Arsenal drew attention during their 2-0 victory over West Ham at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Sunday (5/10/2025 WIB). Arteta played two attacking midfielders simultaneously, Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard, from the first minute. They supported pivot midfielder Declan Rice in the midfield in a 4-3-3 formation.

The selection of players is unusual. Not to mention that Eze and Odegaard are both included, Arteta has repeatedly not played an attacking midfielder in the trio of midfielders, especially in major matches. English media also assess that the manager likes to engage the handbrake within the squad like a racing car.

With only one anchor player, instead of the usual two, Arsenal was free to attack from the first minute. They had Eze and Odegaard as the team's creative hub. The hosts even came close to taking an early lead thanks to Eze's chance, which had a value of 0.76 xG (expected goals). Unfortunately, that opportunity soared over the crossbar.

Odegaard experienced a knee problem in the middle of the match. He was replaced by midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the 30th minute. Despite losing one attacking midfielder, Arsenal managed to control the game. They eventually took the lead with a goal from Rice just eight minutes after Odegaard was substituted.

"That was not a good performance. We knew this match would be difficult because we were facing a good team," said West Ham Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who was just completing his second match since being appointed. "We were unable to breathe and move forward to attack. There is nothing to discuss regarding the result," he continued.

Arsenal's dominance is reflected in the statistics of the first half. They had a clear advantage in the number of shots, 15-2, with ball possession reaching 73 percent. The visiting team was forced to defend with a low block. Meanwhile, "The Gunners" managed to record four significant chances throughout the match, while West Ham failed to register any shots on target.

Arteta stated that the positive result in the London derby was due to lessons learned from the past two seasons. Arsenal hosted West Ham with a record of two consecutive home defeats. They have consistently struggled due to a lack of total attacking against the visiting team. Odegaard and his teammates ultimately became frustrated and were caught off guard by counterattacks.

Arteta decided on a much more offensive strategy this time to score first. "When facing Newcastle, we learned from past wounds at their stadium. Today is no different. We lost twice at the Emirates, but we won today. We deserved that result with a dominant performance," he stated.

After taking the lead, Arsenal held absolute control of the game. They did not need to play too riskily as they were already ahead. When it comes to maintaining a lead, they are experts as the team with the best defense in the league. On the other hand, West Ham would automatically be compelled to come out of their own territory.

Arsenal concluded the match with a second goal in the 67th minute through a penalty award. Star winger Bukayo Saka successfully executed the penalty, marking a total contribution of 100 goals since his debut with Arsenal. He achieved this remarkable feat at a very young age of 24 years.

According to Saka, Arsenal is becoming stronger this season. They have proven capable of earning six points in the last week, against Newcastle and West Ham, in contrast to last season when they combined for zero points. "We know the quality we have in the attacking line. If we can keep a clean sheet, we are very likely to win," he said.

Thanks to this result, Arsenal enters the international break as the top team in the English Premier League standings. They have usurped Liverpool's position with a total of 16 points from 7 matches. Liverpool has dropped one rank, now holding 15 points from 7 matches following their defeat to Chelsea 1-2 at Stamford Bridge, London.

"To be able to be at the top position during the international break, after a heavy schedule in recent weeks and various injuries, is a very good thing. We have shown the right response. It remains to be seen how the players maintain that standard during the international break and afterwards," explained Arteta.

The only negative aspect for Arsenal in the match was Odegaard's injury condition. The captain has been substituted three consecutive times in the first half when featured as a starter. He has previously faced two new issues. This time, Odegaard is dealing with a knee injury, which he last encountered in 2020. (AP/REUTERS)